Yesterday I randomly picked a show and discovered an instrumental version od Help/slip with vocals on Franklins only. It was excellent! The vocals were not missed as Jerry's lead filled the space and I was almost disappointed when he started singing Franklin's .............so here is the question............are there any other examples of the Dead doing this. Playing songs usually sung as instrrumentals? If so i would love to find some.

Some songs were played as instrumenals before the words were developed like the one you mentioned, Help On The Way. Other examples are "The Main Ten" an early version of Playing In The Band before the words were written. Here is a great version of The Main Ten that comes out of Dark Star:

09/04/1980 in Providence RI - included in Download series Vol. 7 09/03/1980 - somebody's stuff wasn't working and Bobby started playing "supplication" ... eventually the whole band joins in on a tight little supplication jam leading straight into Estimated Prophet. Good stuff.